Cairo: Libyan army forces, commanded by the country’s strongman Khalifa Haftar, have said they seized control of the coastal city of Derna, tightening their grip on the eastern part of the strife-wracked country.
Haftar congratulated Libyans on victory against what he called “terrorists”.
Last month, the Libyan army unleashed a major offensive aimed at retaking Derna, the last city in the east outside of its control.
“Today, the banner of terrorism is lowered as the banner of security and peace is hoisted against the will of terrorists and their supporters,” Haftar said.
Derna was controlled by an alliance of Islamist extremists led by the so-called Shura Council, believed to be linked to Al Qaida.
Haftar’s forces had besieged the city since mid-2015, raising humanitarian concerns about the city’s population of around 125,000 people.
“After a bitter struggle and enormous sacrifices, today our date is renewed with victory while it marks the date of defeat for the terrorists,” Haftar said on Thursday.
Libyan media showed footage of Derna’s residents celebrating the liberation of the city from extremists, who controlled it for nearly four years.
Dozens of locals were shown chanting in praise of the breakthrough.
Others honked their car horns in celebration and flashed the victory sign as army forces were seen keeping order on the streets.
Security forces, meanwhile, asked the city’s residents to avoid military areas where mop-up operations were still ongoing against fugitive militants.
Haftar’s declaration was made days after his forces regained Libya’s main oil terminals from armed militiamen and handed them over to a company linked to the government based in East Libya, a move that was condemned by a rival government based in the capital Tripoli.
The 75-year-old commander Thursday defended the move, saying that, in the past, terrorists used the oil revenues to finance their military efforts.
“The people refuse the transfer of their wealth into sources financing terrorist organisations and gangs,” he said without elaborating.
Haftar has been leading a relentless drive against extremists in Libya since May 2014.
He has since established a clout and expanded territory control in Libya.
The oil-rich country has experienced anarchy and political feuds since the 2011 overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in a 2011 armed revolt.
UAE praises Derna capture
On his part the UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Anwar Gargash, praised the capture of Derna.
“The complete liberation of the city of Darna from terrorism is a positive step in the elimination of terrorism in brotherly Libya,” he wrote on Twitter.
“A small extremist group cannot impose its extremist views through the use of force,” he added.
